Lost Cause Diaries 2: The Last Ballgame
by HPDrummerman
Summary: The PEANUTS gang are all in 8th grade at this point, and Charlie Brown's team are playing Peppermint Patty's again. But this time, Charlie Brown promises if his team doesn't win this time, he was done with baseball, at least when it comes to playing it regularly.
1. Chapter 1

Lost Cause Diaries #2: The Last Ballgame

**CHAPTER 1: 8****TH**** GRADE BLUES**

Charlie Brown had become more assertive as he got older. He was still considered a failure, but not to the extent of how he was when he was younger. Some of the kids even started respecting him more, with one sole exception: Lucy Van Pelt. Lucy, on the other end of the spectrum, had not gotten better, but had gotten worse as she got older. She was crabbier, mean, and didn't hold her tongue when it came to what she thought about a certain person or thing. She even started putting on weight as the years went on. The weight gain began around 4th grade. She had started spending her money on fast food after school, while her brothers ate reasonably. She was still best friends with Frieda Rich, considered one of the prettiest girls in school, by contrast Lucy was one of the fattest and ugliest. She even surpassed Molly Volley, the tennis-playing girl whose temper could rival Lucy's. Now she was seen as skinny compared to Lucy. And Molly had even started caring about her own physique as of recently.

The week before the gang was to start 8th grade, they had one last baseball game against Peppermint Patty's team. Charlie Brown's team had improved quite a bit, though they were still on the losing end of things. They weren't as terrible as they used to be when they were younger, save for one fat fussbudget. So Charlie Brown and his team were getting ready for the big game. Peppermint Patty's team had showed up to the field.

"Heya, Chuck!" she greeted. "Ready to get this game started?"

"I sure am, Patty," said Charlie Brown eagerly. "Let the best man, or woman, win!"

"You have learned, Chuck," observed Peppermint Patty. "There may be hope for you yet. All right team, we're up to bat, go get ready."

"All right, everyone, take your positions," ordered Charlie Brown. As Charlie Brown mounted the pitcher's mound, Schroeder, who was catcher, walked towards him to go over the signals. Lucy, who had now tipped the scales at 280, started flirting with Schroeder as she always had.

"Hey, good looking!" she said, trying to shimmy her overweight body. "You know what they say about large woman: more cushion to cuddle!"

Schroeder gagged at the idea. He would rather cuddle with a porcupine for a whole week than with Lucy ANY day. Her bad B.O. didn't help matters, either. When Schroeder reached Charlie Brown, they went over the signals.

"One finger will mean the slow ball," he began, "two fingers will mean the fast ball, three fingers will mean the curve ball, four fingers will mean it's time to retire." And Schroeder went back to his position.

"After all of these years catchers are still hard to understand," lamented Charlie Brown. He was determined to win this game. As he was finally reaching his breaking point with the team. While many of them had improved on their playing, Lucy was the only one that was dragging them down, and she would be the first one to pin the blame on Charlie Brown for losing, when everyone was responsible for losing. Charlie Brown decided this would be their make or break game. If they won, they'd continue to play. If they loss, the team would be dissolved that day.

**NEXT CHAPTER: ONE RUN NEEDED**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: MAKE OR BREAK**

It was the bottom of the ninth inning, and Charlie Brown's team was up to bat again. While they were behind, they still had a chance to at least tie the game and go into extra innings. All they needed was two runs to tie the game, but they also had two outs. Luckily, Snoopy was up and was their best player. Snoopy did great and was able to get on first. Charlie Brown's team had the bases loaded. If they could score at least two runs, they would tie with Patty's team.

"We could still win this," said a determined Charlie Brown. "We could actually beat Patty's team for once! All we need is two to tie, and one to win. Who's up next?"

"It's Lucy, Charlie Brown," said Linus.

"Oh no!" groaned Charlie Brown. "Why, oh, why did she have to be on deck next?!"

Charlie Brown had a right to be nervous about Lucy. She never took the game seriously to begin with. With her attitude becoming much worse in recent years, she would probably do bad, even for her. But Lucy took the bat and waddled up to the plate. She held the bat up. Charlie Brown thought to himself, "Maybe she'll try to get a hit. Even if she strikes out, she should at least try to hit the ball." But it wasn't to be. Not only did she strike out, but she didn't even attempt to hit the ball. She just stood there, and after she left home plate and walked back over to her dugout, Charlie Brown was livid.

"DAMMIT, LUCY!" he shouted. "THAT WAS THE LAST OUT! WE LOST BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO HIT IT! WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE NOW?!"

"Well, Charlie Brown," she began, "we lose games already, so I figured, why even try to win at this point? We were going to lose to Patty's team to begin with, we always do. So why even bother trying?" Charlie Brown couldn't believe his ears. Lucy figured that they lose so many games to begin with, she stopped trying to win. It was another in a long lines of slaps-to-the-face for Charlie Brown from her. That was the final straw, as far as the baseball team was concerned.

The team gathered around Charlie Brown. Schroeder began, "Charlie Brown, we have had it! We are…"

"Wait just a moment," Charlie Brown interrupted. "I already know what you're going to say. I've heard it many times over the years from you guys. All I ask is before you do up and quit on me again, at least allow me the chance… …TO BEAT YOU TO THE DAMN THING!" And Charlie Brown slammed his cap and glove on the ground. Then, in a fit of rage, he knocked down all of the baseball bats and balls that they all started rolling around the field.

"CONSIDER THE TEAM DISSOLVED!" he finally shouted in frustration. And, for the first time, Charlie Brown walked away from the team before they could walk away from him. Peppermint Patty and her team were dumbfounded at what had just transpired.

"What's the matter with Charles, sir?" asked Marcie.

"I don't know, Marcie," said Patty. "Usually, Chuck's team get upset when they do lose, but this is the first time I've seen Chuck lose it like this."

"I think it has to do with Lucy not even trying to hit the ball in that last play and striking out," said Franklin.

"The one thing worse than a girl playing a man's game like baseball," Thibault began, "is a girl who when she does get on a baseball team doesn't even try to play the game."

"Zip it, Thibault!" warned Patty. "I'll let Chuck cool off. Then I'll talk to him about what had just happened."

Back over on Charlie Brown's side, his team were still trying to figure out what had just happened.

"Is Charlie Brown coming back?" wondered Frieda.

"I don't think so," said Linus. "Lucy throwing the game like that was probably the final straw for him."

"We lose anyway," Lucy tried to reason. "So I figured why even try to win? You know, keep tradition alive."

It was then the team turned their anger from Charlie Brown to Lucy. For the first time they were on his side.

"Lucy," Schroeder began, "Charlie Brown was right. You ARE the worst player in the history of the game. Hell, you are the worst player in the history of ANY game! Charlie Brown may be the manager and is responsible for getting us to win any game, but a manager is only as strong as his players. And Lucy, you are even worse than Charlie Brown's idol, Joe Shlabotnik! It's not enough to humiliate him off the field, you can't let him have ANY kind of victory! You want him to lose; you NEED him to lose. Well one day, he will win at something and there will be nothing, FUCKING NOTHING you'll be able to do about it!" And Schroeder then took off for home.

"Come on, Snoopy," said Frieda. "I'll take you back home. Charlie Brown is going to need you now more than ever." And Frieda and Snoopy left.

"You did it again, sis," Linus retorted.

"Shut your damn mouth, turd!" sneered Lucy.

"Sure," said a venomous Linus. "I don't have anything else to say to you anyways." And he left his sister alone at the field. One by one, the team all left Lucy there. Peppermint Patty's team also left back to their neighborhood. Until Lucy was all alone by herself. She single-handedly ended the team with her actions.

"At least I still have the football," she gleefully said, before departing the field.

**NEXT CHAPTER: SO WHAT NOW?**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: THE TEAM IS NO MORE**

The new school year had begun, and Charlie Brown and his friends were back in school starting 8th grade. Charlie Brown was focused on anything besides baseball now, and his friends noticed the change in him. No one more so than Peppermint Patty, Linus, and Marcie.

"It's like he's given up on the thing he loved more than life," said Patty. "Baseball was the one thing he cared about most. Probably even more than the little red-haired girl, herself."

"I wouldn't go that far, Patty," said Linus. "But yeah, it does look like Charlie Brown has stopped talking about all things baseball. After that last game, he hasn't said anything else about it. I don't bring it up, myself, so I don't upset him."

"Probably a good idea, Linus," said Marcie.

"Well I, for one, am going to get to the bottom of this," said a determined Patty.

"Leave it alone, sir," said Marcie, trying to calm her friend down. "Charles probably doesn't want to talk about it, so don't force the issue with him."

"Marcie's right, Patty," agreed Linus. "If we want to have Charlie Brown in a better mood, just don't talk about anything baseball, or even bring up the game with him until cooler heads prevail."

"Oh, all right," said a sad Patty. "I just hate seeing Chuck this way."

"We all do, sir," said Marcie, "but we need to let him be, for now. Let him get this out of his system and just be a good friend to him when he does need us."

Charlie Brown went to his homeroom and sat down next to Linus. Linus asked, "How is everything, Charlie Brown?"

"Okay, I guess," said Charlie Brown. "I just want to get through 8th grade and get to high school so I don't have to deal with uncaring kids anymore!"

"Well, not ALL kids are uncaring," Linus replied.

"You're right, Linus," agreed Charlie Brown. "It's just with the game a while back ago, and your idiot sister purposely blowing the game for us, I felt like I had enough. Maybe my dad will do like Violet's dad and get a barber shop in California somewhere so I can get away from folks myself."

"You don't really think that, do you?"

"No, but sometimes there just so much a guy can take, Linus." And then the teacher came in and it was time for class to start.

Later that day, Charlie Brown gathered all of the team together to make it official that the team was no more.

"I've decided that the team will no longer be playing any baseball games," said Charlie Brown. "If any of you want to join up with other teams or stop playing all together, I'm okay with any decision you make."

"Talk about an end of an era," said Patty [Swanson].

"So what now, Charlie Brown?" asked Shermy.

"You live your lives," said Charlie Brown. "Do what you want to do. Have some other fun besides baseball, or as I said, if you want to try out for another team, even Peppermint Patty's team, I'll be fine with it. Because as I said, our team is dissolved."

Patty came up and said, "Charlie Brown, you may have not been the world's greatest manager, but I am glad you were OUR manager, no matter how lousy you were."

"Thanks, Patty," said Charlie Brown.

"Sorry it's ending like this, Charlie Brown," said Schroeder. "Now I have more time to play my piano. I have a new Beethoven sonata that I've been wanting to try out for ages."

"I'm really going to miss playing with you guys," said a tearful Frieda. "Charlie Brown, you were the one who welcomed me onto your team without any complaints. And I thank you for that." She hugged Charlie Brown.

"No problem, Frieda," said Charlie Brown.

"Well, it's been fun, Charlie Brown," said Pig Pen. "We can still play some marbles, can we?"

"Of course, Pig Pen," said Charlie Brown. "We'll still hang out, just not on a baseball field."

And everyone left for home. Charlie Brown, Linus, and Snoopy all walked back to Charlie Brown's home. As they were getting closer to the house, Sally came running up.

"Big Brother! Linus! Snoopy!" said an urgent Sally. "Something's wrong with Woodstock!" Snoopy yelped.

"What's happening, Sally?" asked Linus.

"I saw him lying in his nest," Sally began, "then he fell out. I figured that was a normal thing, knowing how clumsy that bird is, but he never got back up!" And the kids and Snoopy all went to see what was wrong with Woodstock.

**NEXT CHAPTER: THE BIRD IS AT REST**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4: WOODSTOCK'S FUNERAL**

Woodstock had died in his sleep the night before school began. He had at least visited Snoopy one last time before his passing. Woodstock was up there in age in bird years. Snoopy knew he would outlive Woodstock, but didn't figure he'd lose him so soon. Much of the gang were there to pay their respects. Woodstock was placed in a small wood box that was painted green by Rerun. Snoopy was inconsolable. Woodstock was his best friend and closest confidant. Linus would eulogize the bird he once patted on the head with other birds to Lucy's chagrin.

"We remember a friend," Linus began. "He was a small guy in a world of giants. But unlike other birds, he was one of the gang. A friend. Woodstock was mostly a friend to Snoopy, but he also was close to us, as well. All of us remember how he beat those bullies at Camp Remote during the raft race. We remember how Snoopy helped search for his nest when it was missing." Sally blushed with embarrassment remembering it was her that took it, thinking it was a prehistoric bird's nest. "We remember how it was Woodstock that showed us because you are small, doesn't mean you can't achieve greatness. And Woodstock did just that; not only greatness among giants, but also everlasting friendships."

Snoopy was inconsolable. Charlie Brown comforted his dog as he wept in his owner's arms. Lucy was less than consoling. "Can you quiet that mutt of yours down, Charlie Brown?!" she ranted.

"Hey, it was HIS best friend that died, fussbudget!" Charlie Brown retorted angrily. "Try showing a little compassion, for once in your miserable life!" Charlie Brown was still angry about the baseball game that Lucy purposely threw days earlier. In addition, Charlie Brown had less patience for her antics as they got older. And he was starting to fight back when he was picked on.

"Sorry about your loss, Snoopy," said Frieda. "I know Woodstock was very close to you, boy." And she patted Snoopy on the head.

"Thank you, Frieda," said Charlie Brown.

"You have my condolences, Snoopy," said Schroeder.

"Sorry, Snoop, ol' boy," said Peppermint Patty. "You're gonna keep him company, Chuck?"

"Yeah, I think so, Patty," said Charlie Brown. "He's going to need all the comforting he can get."

"You're in my prayers, Snoopy," said Franklin. And one by one each of the gang gave Snoopy their condolences to losing Woodstock. Lucy just scoffed and went back home. It was just as well. People had been tired of her bad attitude as of lately. And it seemed that she was getting worse day by day. Her crabbiness was getting old with folks, and for her to show blatant disrespect to the deceased was more proof that she didn't need to be there at all, anyway.

After Woodstock's death, Snoopy lost all joy in his life. Not even a visit from one of his brothers or sisters could perk him up. He decided to just live the rest of his years in quiet solitude. No more Word War I Flying Ace, no more Literacy Ace, no more flights of fancy, Joe Cool, Easter Beagle, none of it. He reverted to acting like a normal dog, not even sleeping on top of his doghouse like he used to do. He'd come out only to eat when Charlie Brown brought his dinner. And even that wasn't as joyous as it used to be. One thing was for certain. With all the joy out of Snoopy and no more Woodstock, Snoopy's own days were numbered.

**THE END OF #2**

_**NEXT TIME, #3: WHEN FRIENDS MOVE ON**_


End file.
